A typical electrical connector arrangement consists of mating generally cylindrical components such as a plug shell and receptacle shell carrying mating electrical contact elements which are moved into engagement by axial mating movement of the components. The plug shell and receptacle shell are moved axially together to be coupled and maintained in the mated relationship by use of a coupling nut member received over the connector components. The nut member threadedly engages the outside diameter of one of the components and axially engages the other in order to draw the plug and receptacle shells into mating relationship and to securely retain the same in engagement.
This arrangement is simple and reliable, but in severe vibration environments, the nut member may gradually back off allowing unintended disconnection of the components.
Various anti-rotation devices have been devised in the past to counter this tendency including an arrangement disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,990. This patent describes a ratcheting arrangement comprised of a spring element bearing a tooth engaged with a series of serrations disposed about the exterior of the connector components. The spring element is mounted extending chordally across the interior of the coupling nut.
The serrations are provided with asymmetrical tooth flanks such as to enable the relative rotation by camming of the tooth to deflect the spring element more easily in the uncoupling direction than the coupling direction.
While such arrangements have been generally successful, constant efforts are being made to improve both the functioning of the arrangement and to reduce the cost thereof.
It is highly desirable that the anti-decoupling feature does not necessitate a substantially increased force to be applied to the nut when intended coupling of the components is being executed.
While the anti-rotation feature resists the vibration induced rotation of the coupling nut, the rotation of the coupling nut during intended decoupling of the connector components should also not be rendered substantially more difficult.
The performance features are desirably achieved without adding appreciably to the complexity of the connector and the manufacturing costs should not be appreciably increased by the inclusion of this feature.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an anti-decoupling feature for generally circular elements which are connected by a mating rotatable coupling nut member as for electrical connector plug and receptacle shells, which is extremely simple and low in cost and effective to prevent vibration induced decoupling thereof, but which does not render the intended rotation of the nut member during coupling and uncoupling of the connected componentry more difficult.